CRAIG HOLCOMB, Plaintiff-Appellant, v. IONA COLLEGE, Defendant-Appellee., 521 F.3d 130

Summary

The employee contended that the coaches responsible for the termination decision had made numerous racist remarks. The employer countered that the employee was removed from its staff as part of a necessary overhaul due to a poorly performing team, and that the decision was not based on race. In vacating and remanding the summary judgment ruling, the court held, as a matter of first impression, that an employer violated Title VII if it took action against an employee because of the employee's association with a person of another race. In addition, the court found that a reasonable jury could have determined that the employee was fired in part because he was married to a black woman. In particular, the court found that the employee established a prima facie case of discrimination, and also that the employer produced evidence that it acted for a race-neutral reason. However, the court further found that the employee established genuine issues of material fact as to the merits of his claim...